Hero of Twilight Commentary
by Lady-Valiant
Summary: The same as the story but with commentary, if anyone cares.
1. Reluctant Hero

Disclaimer: Quite obviously, I do not own the LoZ. If I did, I wouldn't be a poor, lonely teenager typing out fanfiction in my spare time.

All right. Welcome to the commentary. Any input will be in brackets. [like this]

Firstly, the chapter title is a trope from TvTropes. You can look it up if you really care.

Duck, left, weave, right, left, up, down, backflip _[Am I the only one who wonders how he manages to pull that off?], _

weave, left, roll. Underneath the stars and a bright full moon, a young warrior mentally ran through the motions as he battled imaginary opponents in the darkness of the night. He paused once to wipe the sweat from his brow before continuing. The motions were mechanical, almost a second-nature_. [I really suck at flowery descriptions, but I'm satisfied with this one]_

Finally, he stood with his sword, breathing hard, as a cool breeze swept across his skin. "Link! Link!"

He gazed wearily over his shoulder as the young woman who ran towards him. She wore a silk gown the color of lilacs. Her long brown-blonde hair flew behind her as she ran across the palace courtyard. Finally, when she stood before him, Link could see her beautiful indigo eyes _[At least, I think they're indigo. They're more of a purple-grey color, I think, but most of the time you see her eyes, they're in bad lighting…so indigo it is.]. _

"Link," she whispered, her voice soft and concerned _[Yeah, you'll notice I describe voices a lot. I do it because Link and Zelda are Hylians with super-hearing, so I figure they'd probably be more aware of how things sound]._

"Link, please, this again? You ought to sleep_." [I was originally going to make Link an alcoholic, but I changed my mind last minute because, well, it seemed too OOC for me.]_

He shook his head. "Sit, then?" the woman asked.

Link sheathed the sword and sat. Smiling faintly, the woman sat behind him and gently moved the back of his head to rest on her bent knees. Gently, she brushed aside a few strands of his light brown hair and whispered, "Do you want to talk about them?"

He shook his head again. "It'll make you feel better." _[ZeLink for the win! Actually, I'm going to have a couple pairings in this, but I'd like to keep the suspense about it some.]_

Finally, he whispered, "There's so much blood and destruction. I see myself killing, and in my dreams…I'm so overcome…that I actually enjoy it. I want to kill. I see myself filled with such hatred and blood lust that I slay anyone who stands before me. I see the light fade from their eyes as they die. The dreams where I'm a wolf are worse. I feel my teeth tearing flesh, and I feel the warm blood on my tongue. I feel…I feel blood splash across my face, and I enjoy it. I enjoy all of it. It's like I'm a monster." _[For this, I was going to the idea that when Link is a wolf, he takes on some traits of one. Meh, though, not much to say.]_

"They're only dreams," she replied. "Nothing more." _[And they really are. They aren't prophetic or anything]_

"They still haunt me."

"With time, they will fade. It's understandable. Mere months ago, you defeated the Darkness. You fought a war against evil. You're what—seventeen? Eighteen at most? _[Um, for this…I'm going to put Link as seventeen for the story's sake. However, he was raised as a poor farm boy, so I doubt he'd actually know his legitimate age, but he's about the same age as Zelda, who will be eighteen in this] _

You're tired; it'll be fine."

Link glanced up at her upside-down face. "Does it help?" asked Zelda. "The practice, I mean."

Link merely shrugged. Sighing, Zelda reached for his hand. "I'm glad you chose to stay," she said.

"As am I," he whispered back.

It was true for the most part. Link would've loved to return home, but just being in Hyrule with nothing to fight left him restless and anxious. No, going home to be a simple farmer was no longer an option. At least staying in Hyrule meant he could stay with Zelda, the most beautiful queen there was. _[Yes, you'll hear Link describe how beautiful women are a lot, but it's more because he's never really seen the nobility and is in awe of them. You won't see this as much in Zelda or Midna's POVs. Also, it's going to be a flaw for Link—that he has a weakness for beautiful women. The idea for that actually was inspired by Merlin (yes, that Merlin) because if you look at the Welsh legends, he does seem to have a certain weakness for women ala Nimue.]_

She'd went through the war, too, but she hadn't killed. She'd helped slay the evil Ganon, but she hadn't killed like he had. She couldn't understand, but Link knew that for his sake she tried. "Why are you awake, Zelda?"

"I felt your distress," she murmured_. [This is an ability I've given Zelda. She can sense the emotions of those she's close to, such as Link, although this is mostly because of his Triforce]_

"You shouldn't be here. There's a banquet tomorrow. The leaders of all the lands are coming to swear loyalty and good will to you. You'll be tired."

"Then, I suppose we'll both be tired."

"And how will we explain that?"

"We'll simply say we didn't sleep well."

Link wondered if Zelda's mind went the same place his did when she said that, and it made him blush all the way to the tips of his ears_. [I know what you're thinking. Link is a pervert? Well, no, not more than anyone else, I don't think. Link's personality: I decided to portray Link as sort of a reluctant hero (which seems to be a more common trait in TP media, probably because of the game's darker tone), but I also decided to make him a bit of a chivalrous pervert, ala the dorky TV cartoon Link, due to the fact that hero or not, he's still a teenage boy surrounded by beautiful women like Zelda and Midna. He's not going to be wolf-whistling at Zelda or looking up her skirt or anything, though.]_

"You don't very much like people, do you?" she asked.

"Huh?"

"I mean, you don't talk much, and when people come, you just sort of fade to the background. Why is that?"

"I don't know."

"You will come, though, won't you? You're the hero of Hyrule. Please, say you'll come."

"Anything for you, Zelda." _[Another TV show reference, although the first time I wrote it, I didn't realize it.]_

"Thank you, Link. I'm glad you'll be there. One person I trust will be at my side."

"Only one?"

"A queen has few friends," replied Zelda. "Luckily, I have a dashing hero at my side."

Link gave her a lopsided grin. "Well, maybe not 'dashing'," Zelda mused, "But definitely cute. You have the most beautiful sapphire-blue eyes. I couldn't ask for a better savior_." [Yes, I think Link is cute. So sue me, but jokes aside, his eyes really are a sapphire blue in the official artwork. Well…my thought is his eyes are closer to a tanzanite blue, but I doubt there's tanzanite in Hyrule, and most people probably have never heard of that gem stone, so we're going to say sapphire.]_

"Even if you could get one that wasn't haunted by nightmares?"

"Even then," She replied, shifting her position until her chin rested on her knees, beside Link's head. "Now come, let's go inside where it's warm."

Link stood and offered her a hand, which she took. Gently, he pulled her to her feet, jumping back slightly when she leaned her head against his shoulder. _[Another quirk of Link's. He's rather jumpy, due to all the utter crap he's been through.]_

If the young queen noticed, she chose not to comment. Instead, under her breath, she muttered, "Link, he come to town. Come to save, the Princess Zelda." _[These lyrics go to an actual song, and it's difficult to find the original author because their have been so many different versions of it, but from what I can find, credit for it goes to someone named Rabbit Joint. You can look it up on YouTube if you're really interested.]_

Link looked at her quizzically, and Zelda chuckled. "Haven't you heard that one? The young bards seem to enjoy writing songs about you. My personal favorite is one they call "Ganon Slayer"." [_Which happens to be my favorite too. It's written by someone named madhatter. Again, look on YouTube, and you'll find it. It's hilarious.]_

Link first thought was a sarcastic 'fantastic', but rather than saying what he felt, he merely smiled. "Are they?"

Zelda nodded. "Some are rather good, but others…" A sparkle appeared in her eyes, and she winked. "Well, we'll just say they're not great."

His smile was a little more forced. It was selfish, but he couldn't help but be envious at the young woman at his side, who even with the stress of ruling the great nation of Hyrule, managed to be so carefree and happy. He'd once been like that—when he lived in Ordon. That was back when the most important thing to worry about was whether Epona was properly fed. When he'd merely aspired to be the best he could be and maybe, eventually, having a family. That was before the fate of the world depended on the least little decision he made.

"Did you celebrate the Winter Solstice in Ordon?" asked Zelda. _[Yes, it's the most cliché Christmas stand-in ever]._

Link nodded. Sighing, Zelda moved her head from his shoulder and strode gracefully to the palace. Link really tried not to stare after her; she wasn't called the most beautiful woman on Hyrule for no reason, after all. She paused and looked over her shoulder before beckoning for him. Sighing, he walked to her side. It was hard to meet her eyes. To know she cared.

"Link, you ought to be happy…is there something you need? Whatever it is, I can get it for you. I know you miss your home. I know this is very different and difficult for you, but…if I can help, you _can _tell me. Please, tell me you know that."

"I do, Your Highness."

"It's Zelda, Link. Just Zelda."

Slowly, she turned and continued to the palace, Link following. "Do you think you could teach me?" she asked. "To use a sword?" _[Warning: This is a rant. When I first saw TP, I was like, "Awesome! Zelda gets a sword!" That. She. Never. Actually. Uses! Then, at the very end, she has it, and I was like 'OMG! I get to have a sword fight with Zelda! And she…throws light at you. So yeah.]_

"You mean you don't know?" Link asked, the words out before he thought. "Oh, I mean, I'm just surprised. You have your rapier, so I'd assume you'd know."

"It's all right. My rapier is a symbol of my power. I don't actually know how to wield it. Will you help me, then?" [_Midna gets a sword, too, because it's implied she can use one, but she's never seen with one]._

"Whatever you wish, Zelda."

She accepted his words with a nod. "Excellent, then."

They entered Hyrule Castle, and it was nearly empty, aside from the guards making their rounds. As Link and Zelda passed, they stopped and bowed to both of them, making Link slightly annoyed. People were _always _bowing to him. Even people he knew. After he'd become a hero, everything changed. [_Cue flashback! Yes, there are going to be a lot of these. Mostly because I was working on writing TP and have all these random, disconnected scenes]._

_Link smiled as he nodded and greeted yet another courtier, eager to meet the young hero and see if he was as Queen Zelda had said. Link remained polite and tried his best to meet all the odd courtly customs, although he deemed most of them pointless and even disturbing (such as the custom that royals greeted by kissing one another on the cheek, a custom that apparently applied to him as the chosen hero). _[Yeah, I don't know if any country actually does this, but it's a reference to my own original series that I am currently in a publishing contract for. It's good for humor, foreign…and actually pretty gross. To me, anyway.]

_ It mightn't have been so bad if he could've stayed with Zelda, but she'd encouraged him to mingle and speak with the people all over Hyrule, flocking to the capital to celebrate the end of the Twilight._

_ "Hero Link!" someone called, a girl with a voice that reminded him of a young bird. _[Again with the voice sounds.]

_ He looked over his shoulder and saw Ilia, her face split with a huge smile. Ilia, one of his closest friends for nearly seven years, stood only a few feet from him. Link was about to hug her when she bowed to him, and he halted, confused. "What are you doing?" he asked._

_ Ilia rose and smiled wryly. "You are the chosen hero now," she said simply._

_ "But you don't have to bow to me."_

_ "But I do. It's a sign of respect, Hero Link."_

Hero Link? Was that a title suddenly?

_ "Ilia," he whispered, "I'm just Link to you. I always have been, and I always will be." _[Alas, my attempt of portraying the bad side of heroics.]

_ Her green eyes widened, and she shook her head. "Just Link? Just Link! You're not just Link; you're the Hero of the Twilight! Zelda's Hero! But…regardless, I came to see you. I'm sure there are many nobles you need to speak with, so I won't keep you long. I just wanted to see you."_

_ "Well, maybe we can talk some other time. We can ride Epona."_

_ Ilia smiled sardonically. "Good bye, Hero Link."_

_ She walked away, and he hadn't seen her since. _

That was a mere two weeks after he defeated Ganon. _[Just as a note: Link will always call him Ganon, while Zelda will always call him Ganondorf regardless of what form he's in.]_

In two weeks, he was no longer Link. He was Hero Link. Zelda glanced at him, and Link pretended not to notice. The queen could _always _sense what he felt, and he hated that. His thoughts and feelings were private. Queen or not, she had no right to feel his emotions like that. No right at all. "You worry me, Link," Zelda stated.

He nearly flinched at the sound of his name. Of course, _Zelda _called him Link, without any of the stupid, unneeded titles, but none of his childhood friends would. "You could stay in my quarters tonight if it would help you," Zelda offered. _[Yeah, nothing happens, and nothing ever will.]_

He'd slept with Zelda before—doing nothing but sleeping. Oddly, though Link had come to be suspicious of everyone he met, he _didn't _like being alone at night. The dreams weren't as often when he had someone beside him. There were worries, though, about what would happen if the court discovered Queen Zelda was letting the Hero of the Twilight sleep with her, whether the act was innocent or not. Zelda simply told him not to worry. Still, he had his pride—what was left of it, and shook his head.

As they stopped before her room, Link bowed. "The offer is very welcome and very gracious, but I'd like to decline tonight. I'll be fine." _[He gets very formal with Zelda. He's really not that formal, but I have this idea that he really does try to be this perfect hero…even if he's not]_

It was very apparent from the look on her face that she didn't believe him. "Are you certain?" she asked.

Link nodded. "Well…very well, I suppose. Good night, Link." _[I love you, Link! Sorry, couldn't help it. Actually…we'll see how Zelda feels about Link in a couple chapters.]_

She kissed him lightly on the forehead, just a quick fluttering of her lips against his skin, before she turned and opened the door to her bedroom. Link bowed again. "Good night, Your Highness."

After she closed the door, offering him one last concerned look, Link was alone in the corridor. He doubted he could sleep if he tried. Instead, he began walking. Hyrule Castle was huge, and even though he'd lived there a good three months, he still got lost sometimes. Still, it was an admittedly nice place to live. Zelda had told him he was welcome to go anywhere in the castle, a privilege not given to anyone else in the palace (Zelda excluded, of course). Everyone else was not allowed to enter several room along the West Wing, a few of which Link had been in.

Well, that seemed as good a destination as any, so Link continued walking. His boots slapped on the white marble floors, echoing eerily in the otherwise silent night. The two guards that stood before a huge set of oak doors bowed to him and opened them, admitting the hero into the forbidden wing. In the wing were the king's and queen's chambers, rooms that generations of Zelda's family had lived in, although the young queen herself had yet to occupy them. Further down was a library, filled with several of Hyrule's most ancient documents and work—peace treaties and whatnot. That was as far as Link had went into the wing. [_Hm. Not much to say here. Anyone notice how it's always the West Wing that's forbidden, though?]_

He continued his walk, enjoying the silence and the moonlight shining through the window at the end of the corridor. His eyes trailed down from the window, and he noticed a door directly beneath it. He approached it, his curiosity peaked when he saw the High Hylian engraved on the door. He couldn't read the language, but Zelda could read some. He only knew the word 'courage', which was engraved on the door, beneath a gold rendition of the legendary Triforce. _[Oooh…wonder what's inside!]_

He pushed the doors, but they didn't budge. Sliding his hands down the door, he found a small niche. He knelt down, and Link saw there were three of them. Perhaps something needed to be place in the niches for the doors of the room to open, but what could they be? They had to be small—maybe as long as his little finger. He vaguely remembered something and walked back down the hall.

Nudging aside the door to the library, Link looked around. He'd noticed it once before, only because it was decorated so oddly. There was a rough wooden shield that hung on the wall with three gems set in its base. It was there and far too high for him to reach, so Link pulled over a chair and stood on it. Gently, he lifted the shield from its place before jumping lightly from the chair. After sitting the shield on a nearby table, he unsheathed his sword and pried the gems loose, being as careful as he could not to damage the wooden shield. He was fairly successful in his endeavor. [_The gems are the ones from the Ocarina of Time, and the shield is that Link's original wooden Kokiri shield. Well, actually, it's probably a replica, since a real wooden shield would've probably rotted already)._

The gems sparkled in the torchlight inside the room. They were an emerald, a sapphire, and a ruby. He sheathed his sword, gathered the gems, and walked back into the main corridor. As he approached the door, he knew he'd been right. The gems fit easily into the niches, and the door was pushed open easily.

The room inside was surprisingly bright. Stained glass windows covered the walls of the round shaped room, letting Link see the lands beyond the palace and the stars. Moonlight drifted through the windows, making the entire place glow with a seemingly otherworldly light. Suddenly feeling cautious, Link took careful steps forward and gazed around. The room was empty, save for a pedestal in its center, upon which sat a thick leather-bound volume. However, one of the glass windows caught his eye. [_No, he's not in a church.]_

Even without the sunlight or torches, he could see the figure was garbed in the same clothes he'd been given—the clothes of the Hero of Time. He'd worn the clothing his entire journey, and it was locked in a chest in his room, where he'd put it after Zelda commissioned for him new clothing. _[Because if he wore it all the time, it would really smell. Although, for the sake of this story, it's magical clothing that repairs itself along with cleaning itself. This is why in TP someone comments on Link's boots being dirty, but not his clothes. This is also why his clothes never get ripped. They do; they just repair themselves.]_

He only wore it for public occasions or when Zelda requested he did, as the clothing was strange, and the courtiers changed their clothes every day (a concept that was completely foreign to Link). _[Because he was born poor]._

Curiosity piqued, he stepped closer, gazing in almost awe at the image of the figure.

He held the Master Sword over his head and a shield on his other. He looked to be about Link's age, and more remarkably, he looked a _lot _like Link. The hair was a couple of shades lighter and longer than his, but it looked very similar. His eyes were also blue, just as Link's were. Link lifted a hand to the glass, which felt cool beneath his touch. _Where am I? _He wondered. _[This is, of course, the seventeen-year-old Link from OoT]._

The next panel featured a strong-looking man with red hair and eyes like burning coals. Link almost jumped back out of reflex. It was Ganon with a sneer on his face. [_Maybe it's just me, but when I read this, I think of some sort of Dr. Seuss creature called a sneer]._

The window beside it showed a beautiful blonde-haired woman, whose eyes were a rare indigo color. [_Zelda. Obviously.]_

Beside her was the figure that looked like Link, a determined look on his face and sword in hand. Link realized, then, that it was a story. From his limited knowledge, it looked to be the Hero of Time. Maybe the book would explain it.

Link turned and walked to the book on the pedestal. He opened it, surprised at the gold writing and illuminated pictures. _[Again because he's poor and never seen illuminated manuscripts]_

He'd never seen such work put into a book. _This is the story of the Hero of Time, _it read. _This is the Legend of Zelda, the beautiful and wise Princess of Destiny and Sage of Light, and of the boy of the Kokiri. [If you're actually reading the commentary, you may find it odd that Link's name is never mentioned. This is actually important, and it will be noted next chapter]._

Link stopped reading for a moment. He thought it odd how Zelda's name was mentioned, while no one mentioned the name of the Hero of Time. _[As I'm sure some readers have noticed by now]_

He took the book and sat beneath on of the glass windows, where the light was better.

_Princess Zelda, even at the tender age of eleven, was a rose set to bloom. Her tresses were as spun gold. Her eyes were as diamonds and amethysts, shining with divine wisdom from the great Goddesses. Her cheeks were as ripe fruit, and her skin was as white and fair as freshly fallen snow. _[They make Zelda sound like a Mary Sue. Of course, Link ruins the beautiful image.]

Link mentally rolled his eyes and sarcastically tried to picture the princess with cheeks the color of ripened oranges and skin that white. It made for a rather comical image. _[Well, hey, they never mentioned what kind of fruit.]_

After reading about her voice, Link flipped a few pages and read. [_Yes, this is a take that to Mary Sue fanfiction]._

_The young princess knew, through her magic and divine wisdom, that a great evil was coming, but alas, none believed the young princess. Frightful, she fled to the Temple of Time and prayed for guidance and aid from the Goddesses. _[She's rather religious in this version.]

_ The young Zelda received a vision of a young boy, with eyes of sapphire-blue and hair the color of honey, garbed in green. _[Yes, I'm also letting Zelda be somewhat of a prophetess. This will come later, too.]

_After thanking the Goddesses, she returned to her home in Hyrule Castle and waited for the boy she'd seen. Then, one clear, summer's day, he came, and his name was ancient. _[See? He still doesn't get a name. Like I said, I do have a reason for this, but it's also a bit of a take that to the people who always call Link by a title rather than his name].

Link. The Hero of Twilight. The Hero of Time. The book sounded as if it was him the story was about. In an odd sort of way, it made sense. Link had received his destiny from the Hero of Time, and he'd been informed by the Light Spirits that he was a reincarnation of the hero. Link wondered if it was possible the Hero of Time was one of his ancestors. It would have…a certain poetic quality if it were so, and when he thought about it...hadn't the spirit once mentioned 'our line' as if he and Link were of the same blood? _[Link is…sort of right. The Hero of Time is Link's ancestor, but it's a little stranger than that…I don't really want to say too much because I'm going to explain it, but well, for now think of it as like Aang in Avatar: The Last Airbender. Link can talk to his previous lives.]_

_The hero was a young boy, eager to save the land of Hyrule, ready for adventure, and ready even at a young age to fulfill his great destiny and duty to vanquish the evil Ganondorf. _[The texts will mention both Ganon and Ganondorf, the former being the beast, and the latter the human.]

_ He _wanted _this? _Link wondered. _But why?_

The hero felt a sudden flood of anger. If the Hero of Time was his ancestor, this was his fault. He'd obviously failed, or Ganon wouldn't have returned. Link could've lived his life as he'd wanted, being a simple farmer in the land of Ordon. He wouldn't have to see the dead in his nightmares, or fear for his growing blood lust, or even feel the pain of what he'd lost. Then, he would've never met Midna. His thoughts came to a screeching halt. Midna. His partner, his friend. Would it be worth never meeting her? Link wasn't sure. Of course, if she'd never needed help, he would've never been dragged around all of Hyrule by destiny. It wasn't as if being forcibly turned into a wolf and then imprisoned gave you many options. _[We're going to cover Midna and Link's relationship a little later. Um…for the time, I'm just going to say that he and Midna were really close. You may also notice Link is pretty sarcastic.]_

Sighing, Link continued reading, skimming the incredibly flowery passages in search of something interesting. _[Again, it's a shout-out to purple prose. There's nothing wrong with it, but…it's a bit of needed humor]._

Once he managed to get accustomed to the old language, though, the story was actually interesting, even though it made him feel both selfish and angry. He read about the Sages and about how the Hero of Time went through time to find them. He read about the Hero being locked in the Temple of Time—the same place he suspected he was—in order to grow and use the Master Sword. He read about the hero saving Zelda and defeating Ganon. He read about how the powerful princess sent him back in time to relieve what childhood he'd lost. _[So if you've never played OoT, you now know what it was all about.]_

At that point, Link dropped the book to the floor and leaned back against the glass. It wasn't fair! How come his ancestor could go back and get everything? Why couldn't he? Link was filled with a sudden urge to hit something. _Anything_. He clenched his fists and forced himself to sit. Temple of Time or not, he couldn't just punch things. He contemplated drawing his sword and practicing, but as furious and angry as he was, that wasn't the best idea. _[Yeah…Link has a bit of a temper.]_

Finally, having gained some control over himself, he forced himself to read the next sentence. Then, the next paragraph. The next page. _However, as the boy was sent back, those in Hyrule who had no magic could not remember the deeds of the great Hero of Time. _[Which is just about everyone. The Kokiri all remembered, though, along with the Sages, Zelda, and of course, Ganon. There were others, too, though.]

_They lived their lives, oblivious to the great deeds that were done, but enough remembered to keep the legend alive and record it. Enough remained for the legacy of the Hero of Time and his deeds to live on. The boy, himself, remembered, and although he remained close friends with Princess Zelda, he returned to his home in the forests. The Kokiri do not age, however, and he left. Eventually, he married the young woman Malon and had three daughters. It was said the destined Hero would rise from the family again, under the name. _

_ However, after some years, the legend became just a legend, and the family of the great Hero became lost. They lived as commoners in the land of Hyrule, or so it is assumed. Whether the legend or tradition continues, none know. _[Accept Zelda…and Link. And Ganon.]

_ Truthfully, very little is known of the great Hero of Time after this, for one day he went on a great voyage and was never heard of again. The people merely hope that when Darkness returns, the Hero will rise once more. _[Um…I'm using the child timeline. That's really all I'm going to say because I don't want this to be crazy complicated, and I'm still working it out. So…for all purposes now, we have _Ocarina of Time, Majora's Mask, _and _Twilight Princess_, although I might put in some more LoZ versions later. If you have no idea what I'm talking about, don't worry about it. I'll also discuss where the Hero of Time disappeared later. And wow, that's the end of the chapter, so…um, thanks for reading the commentary. Chapter two is written and will be put up soon. Also, the story doesn't really sound like the summary yet, but that's mostly because the information at the beginning will be very important later, so it has to be there. It'll pick up soon, though.]


	2. Interlude: TimelineAbbreviation Notes

**The proposed timeline. **

This is an interlude mostly for those who have only played a couple of the LoZ games or who don't really understand the timeline. I'm putting it here, so it adds some perspective to the, um, Hero of Twilight fic, but if you're writing your own fic, maybe it'll be of some use. (And also because someone wrote and specifically asked about it, so here it is).

So. The LoZ timeline is very complicated, and there are a few different theories on it. Throughout the games people and places change drastically as does time. This being the case, there are several ideas about how they're really all connected, but none save for the creators know how (and it's really not that important to the games). If you're writing a fic, however, it kind of is. I'll be covering what is commonly called the 'child timeline', as that is the one used in my fic, but there are others, and if asked I may delve into them later.

Okay. So. The proposed timeline goes like this (BTW, it's also called the split-timeline theory).

The games involved in this theory are accepted to be _Ocarina of Time, Majora's Mask_, and _Twilight Princess_.

_Ocarina of Time_—Link is born in the Kokiri Forest and through a long chain of events ends up in Hyrule, following his destiny. He meets Princess Zelda. Ganondorf attacks, so Link goes to retrieve the Master Sword in the Temple of Time. The only problem is that he's just a little kid. So he's pretty much put under a Sleeping Beauty-esque spell that allows him to age seven years. Seven years later, he leaves, goes on a long adventure, and defeats Ganondorf. At the end, Zelda sends him back in time to relive his childhood. This is where the timeline splits.

In the child timeline, Link goes back in time, remembers what happened, tells Princess Zelda of Ganondorf's attack before it happens, and thus, changes the events so that Hyrule is never destroyed. After this, Link (note that this is the same Link) sets off on another quest, which the game _Majora's Mask_.

_Majora's Mask- _This is one of the creepier games. Link is searching for a friend (believed to be a fairy that aided him in _Ocarina _by the name of Navi), and to sum, he ends up in a nightmarish parallel universe of Hyrule called Termina. Here Link has to do the typical save the world from evil sort of thing and has three days to keep the moon from falling. He succeeds (if you're good at video games). Now the controversy (and only reason I really bring this game up) is that it ends with Link riding away on a horse.

And you never actually figure out what happened to him. Some think he continued searching for Navi. Some think he returned to Hyrule, and some think he settled down in Ordon and began a family. Others still believe Link was lost in the Lost Woods (pun intended) and became an imp.

Then, there are some odd theories. It's never actually said what Termina is. People think it's a parallel universe, an alternate dimension, a dream, purgatory, or even some sort of afterlife. One theory is that Link is actually killed and _Majora's Mask_ is after his death, but no one really knows for sure.

There are theories that Link died after _Majora's Mask_, which is why the Hero of Time Link isn't in any other games. There is also a belief that _Majora's Mask _was a revenge of Ganondorf's and another that claims that Link actually committed suicide after the events in _Majora's Mask_, so there's a lot of potential in it for what affects the future. As a note, I do have plans for it, but I doubt it's going to be what anyone expects. It's going to be…interesting.

So moving on to _Twilight Princess_ (which everyone really should know about if you're reading my fic, but in case you don't know). Link (not the Hero of Time) gets pulled into a place called the Twilight Realm, turned into a wolf, and has to stop Zant with the help of Midna (the Twilight Princess). Turns out Zant was working for Ganondorf. They defeat them, and in the end Midna leaves and destroys the Mirror of Twilight, severing the connection between the Light World (where Link and Zelda live) and her world. The basic timeline is this:

Hyrule is created by the goddesses.

Link, the Hero of Time is born. (_Ocarina of Time_)

The events in _Ocarina _occur, and in the end, Link goes through time and tells Zelda what happened before it happens.

_Majora's Mask_ occurs.

The Sages decide Ganon is too dangerous and try to kill him; they fail (as seen in the TP flashback).

The events in TP occur.

And that's the child timeline. Now, just in case you haven't played all the games, here's a list of abbreviations.

**Timelines**

CT- Child Timeline

AT- Adult Timeline

BS- Backstory

**Game Titles- Listed as Released**

TLoZ or LoZ—the original _Legend of Zelda _(note though, that LoZ is also used for just random _Legend of Zelda_ meaning any game. Whenever I use LoZ, I'm referring to the franchise—not the first game.).

TAoL or AoL—the _Adventure of Link _(sometimes called Zelda II)

ALttP—_A Link to the Past_

LA—_Link's Awakening_

OoT—_Ocarina of Time_

MM—_Majora's Mask_

OoA—_Oracle of Ages_

OoS—_Oracle of Seasons_

FS—_Four Swords _(which is different from FSA; see below)

TWW or WW—_Wind Waker_

FSA—_Four Swords Adventure _(skip the manga; play the game.)

TMC or MC—_Minish Cap _(just a note that the Link in the manga looks up girls' skirts. And the story is written by two women. Yeah.)

TP—_Twilight Princess_

PH—_Phantom Hourglass_

ST—_Spirit Tracks_

As you can see, it's a pretty easy system as long as you can remember what the games are called. Also, there are three more games—_The Faces of Evil, Zelda's Adventure, _and _The Wand of Gamelon_. However, those games…really suck…in fact, many LoZ lovers wish to deny their existence. However, they have abbreviations too, and they are, in order: FoE, ZA, and WoE.

There are also some more, but I'm not sure which ones to list. If anyone wants place abbreviations, I'll gladly compile a list, but…this is mostly so people can understand the background of the timeline and the commentary abbreviations, so I don't have to keep writing Ocarina over and over. Abbreviations aside, the next chapter should be ought in two or three days.


	3. Legacy Character

**Disclaimer: You know; I really think people just post these disclaimers out of tradition. I mean, does anyone on this site actually think the people writing own what they're writing about? But…I certainly don't own LoZ. **{Seriously, what is the point?]

Link woke slowly and saw Zelda, sitting beneath the stained glass window, which depicted [I love the word depicted. I'm not sure why]

a very young girl who looked much like her and a boy that looked much like him. [Don't take a genius to figure out who they are, does it?]

She gazed out the window, the colors from the glass dappled across her cream-colored dress. In that moment, she looked very much like some goddess of the dawn. Eventually, she turned her head towards him and smiled. "Were you doing some light reading?" she queried, gesturing toward the book at his feet. [It's not intentional, but it reminds me of Hermione from _Harry Potter_]

He nodded, dumbstruck for a moment. Zelda laughed, her voice as the trill of a nightingale. "So shy about it? What did you think?"

Link shrugged. Zelda pursed her lips and stood, slowly striding towards him. [Alas, my attempt at shyness. Originally, I was going to find some way to make him not say anything…but then, I said screw-it.]

Finally, she sat at his side and took the book in her lap. "Surely, you had more engaging thoughts than that."

"If you don't mind overly, I would rather keep them to myself. They're rather personal."

"Then, you may. Link, what do you know about the cycle? About your name?" [And it's conspiracy theory time!]

"My name?"

"It's very important. It's the name of all the heroes. The Hero of Time was named Link. That's how we know when the hero has arrived; he has your name. It's a Goddess-blessed name."

"But what if there's more than one Link?"

Zelda smiled mysteriously. "Let me tell you a story. [Infodump!]

Once, the Triforce was whole; it was a physical object. A man, whose man is lost to history, used it, and he killed many people. It seemed no one could stop him. Then, three powerful sages came forth and slew him. They split the Triforce into three to make it more difficult for someone to wield, for their power was not great enough to do any more. One of the sages was a Gerudo man named Ganondorf. For reasons unknown, he sought to possess the Triforce, [planning on adding why later]

and after failing to persuade the sages to reunite it, he left with the Triforce of Power." She paused in her story. "Do you have a question? You look confused."

"I thought there were seven Sages."

"There are, but the Sages were originally only three—one for each Goddess."

"Oh, forgive my interruption, then."

"Very well. The sages charged two Hylians with retrieving the final Triforce. One was the daughter of the king and a priestess, and her name was Zelda. The other was a son of one of the sages and of a prophetess named Link—who was orphaned at a young age, as the hero always is. [Wow. Being the hero really sucks.]

Together they journeyed far and eventually defeated Ganondorf. It was too late, however, for he'd used the Triforce of Power to make himself practically a god, so they failed to properly kill him. Since then, the name Link has passed to the chosen hero, as it did to you. However…the Hero of Time saved Hyrule only a hundred years ago, which completely breaks the tradition, although I have no idea why. So perhaps we know less than we think." [Yeah, it's almost as if someone is just changing things in order to have a plot…or something…]

"Your Highness, my I ask a question?"

Zelda nodded. "If the hero is always named Link, why—before he tries to take Hyrule—does Ganon not just have his minions travel through all of Hyrule, killing any baby with the name Link? It's not really a common name; it wouldn't take too much effort." [Conspiracy theory!]

"You're correct, Link, and I have an answer for you. Firstly, when the original Link and Zelda fought Ganondorf, his power was so great they could only seal him away for a time. However, Zelda saw the cycles begin. You see, Link; Ganondorf is the same person, while we are reincarnated. It's easy to find Ganondorf, and because of my royal blood, it's fairly simple to find me. If it is just the two of us, though, Ganondorf would most certainly win. You are the balance—the third factor. Without you, chaos would be unavoidable, but when Zelda discovered the cycles, she tried to cast a spell on Ganondorf to make lose his memories. She failed. Instead, she cast another spell, sacrificing herself in a desperate effort to protect the Hero. Firstly, the spell placed a sort of taboo on the name, where only the chosen child would have it, and secondly, it erased Ganondorf's memory of the child's name until the Hero faced him in combat. Granted, all the reincarnations look similar, but it would take much more effort to find the hero, so long that the royal family would have time to interfere. Also, did you notice while reading that the book never mentioned the hero's name?" [And there's the explanation for that. I really should've broken up this paragraph; it's so weirdly long…]

Link nodded. "I thought it was odd."

"An extra precaution. The first Zelda ordered all historians _never _to write the hero's name. That is why all the heroes have titles. You are the Hero of Twilight, and that is how you will be remembered. This way, if Ganondorf takes the castle, he can't read the legends and find your name. The name of the hero is the royal family's most guarded secret; there are even enchantments that prevent us from speaking it, unless it is to pass the name to a successor. If Ganondorf had captured me and tried to force me to reveal your name, I would've forgotten it."

"And my clothes?"

"I can't really explain that. Your…legacy is very strange and powerful. I suppose I could just say 'a wizard did it'." [a.k.a. I have no idea how he always ends up in the same clothes. I guess the Goddesses want him to blend in with the trees…or be the subject of a bunch of dress jokes…]

"What about the songs people sing of me, though? The one you sang last night had my name in it."

"Do you really think Ganondorf listens to songs people sing? I suppose someone could write them down, but...five hundred years is a long time to remember a song, and the spell might even interfere. All I know is that the spell guards your name from being spoken."

"And what about yours?"

Zelda laughed. "Well, it's completely unrelated, but…every princess of Hyrule is named Zelda. Legends says that the second Zelda, who was quite by chance named after the original Zelda, was very deeply in love with…well, the past version of you. As a result, a disgruntled prince decided to take the power of Hyrule from her, hoping not only to be powerful but also to marry Zelda. He made a mistake and put Zelda into an eternal sleep, and out of guilt decreed that every princess would be named Zelda, in her memory. There was some powerful magic involved, too, as the royal family only has princesses at the same time as the hero's birth. Give or take a few years, but…although I don't know how often I've held the name Zelda, the hero is always named Link." [The explanation for Zelda's name actually comes from the second LoZ game…in case anyone has never played it. I didn't make this up. However, it leads you to wonder what happens if the royal family has eight princesses. Personally, I think it's just the eldest who gets the name…but I don't know. Sure would make learning history odd.].

"Is there a way to break the cycle?"

"If we fail," Zelda muttered, her eyes turning upwards to the ceiling. "We…we call this place the Hall of Time—for it does look very similar to the Temple of Time. In this room, there are thousands of years of knowledge about the different heroes. You're welcome to read all about them if you like; they're in the pedestal. It's hollow. Truthfully…I don't know what would happen if the cycle just stopped…it's unthinkable." [I know what would happen!]

"One more question?"

Zelda nodded. "Who…who wrote this? It seems…very unbelievable, and the time is so…odd."

"The original record was written by the Princess Zelda. However, this is not the original; this story was rewritten of the original and presented to the royal family as a gift from a tribe of the Gerudo." [As I mentioned in the review responses, originally, the story was written by Zelda, but then, I realized that would make her a huge jerk so…yeah.]

"Then, where is the original, and how did the Gerudo get a copy of the legend?" [Believe it or not, this is actually a plot point.]

"History doesn't tell us everything, Link. We only know this was a gift because of the record of us receiving it. We don't know why it was given, either, for there's a huge gap in the records." [This is important, too.]

"Thank you for everything, Your Highness. I hope I haven't bothered you with my questions."

"It's Zelda, Link. I'm beginning to think some memory spell may have rubbed off on you," she teased. "Now come, Link, it is morning, and we have a celebration to attend."

"Do you want me to wear the clothes from the Hero of Time?"

"Yes, it would probably be best. It seems to me that the spirits took a few liberties, however."

"What do you mean?"

Zelda smiled and nodded to the glass windows depicting the hero. "What you wear is incredibly similar, but look: no chain mail." [And there's the answer to that question…]

Link gazed at the ancient Hero of Time. Zelda was right. "Huh," was all he said.

Zelda rose with grace that would've made a dancer envious and held a hand out to Link. [So this is…a very subtle reference. In fact, I'm not even sure you can call it a real reference, but it's…I guess, an allusion to Zelda Fitzgerald (Scott Fitzgerald's wife/the person Princess Zelda was named after). She was apparently a fairly good dancer when she was very young…and then at twenty-seven decided she was going to be a ballerina. A very strange, tragic life she led. She's worth a Wikipedia search if you have the time.]

It was an odd reversal to him, but nevertheless, he took her hand and stood. "I have the most beautiful dress for the occasion."

"Any dress looks beautiful with you in it." [Ah…isn't that sweet? But seriously. Zelda never looks bad…even when she's being controlled by Ganondorf.]

Zelda smiled radiantly. "That is very gracious of you to say."

Midna would've probably looked beautiful in anything, too. At first, Link was startled by the sudden thought. "Link?"

Zelda had moved to leave but stopped to look at him. "Are you sure you're all right?" she asked.

"Yes, I'm fine. Honestly."

"You don't sound fine," she said, her voice soft. "You miss her, don't you? Midna?" [I actually like LinkxMidna. I think, though, a lot of people like Midna because she's there the whole time, and you get to see her change as a person, while Zelda is just sort of in the backdrop until the very end; you never get to see much of her personality.]

Link was taken aback at first, unsure whether or not Zelda had read his mind. "I can tell," she continued. "Especially at dusk. You'll just stare at the sky and do nothing. You're not very happy here, are you?"

"Zelda, I don't want you to think I'm being ungrateful. The palace is great." [Well, the part of it that wasn't destroyed…hee, I just thought of something. Imagine how expensive insurance must be in Hyrule with everything always being taken over or demolished by evil forces.]

"It is, but it can't replace a friend. Link, did you consider going with her?"

"I couldn't." [Because she slammed a portal shut in my face.]

"I know, but did you think about it?"

Link opened his mouth to reply but closed it. "Um…"

"Forgive me; my question was too bold," Zelda replied, opening the door and leaving the room.

For a few moments, Link just stood there, watching as she left. Zelda was lovely; she was the perfect queen—wise, beautiful, gracious, and kind. Midna, after he'd come to know her, had been as beautiful as Zelda, but unlike her counterpart, she was sassy, sarcastic, and playful. Zelda could probably be playful, too, but she seemed so distant. Certainly, she talked to him, but when she spoke to him, it was as if he was a child, and she was the adult. Midna had been fairly condescending when they'd first met, but by the end, she'd treated him as a companion. A friend. [Wow, I'm sappy, aren't I?]

The other difference was the Zelda seemed so perfect. She looked and acted like some sort of distant goddess—something that was too holy to touch. Midna had flaws. Midna was unpredictable. She felt more real.

Link sighed and left, just as Zelda had. He didn't have time to spend all day comparing Zelda to Midna. Still, that led to him wondering exactly what Midna had been about to say when she left. There was something she left unsaid, some sentence and thought that she hadn't completed. Was it important? Probably not, but he still wondered what she'd meant to say. It'd probably been an insult. Link chuckled to himself at the thought. [For those who don't know, at the end of TP, Midna leaves saying, 'L-Link, I—see you later.' Is it important? Well, it's just sort of up for debate. It should be noted, however, that the Japanese version doesn't say that.]

_The desert sand shifted underneath his weight, making something as simple as walking much more challenging than it had any right to be. _[Those of you who live at beaches know what I'm talking about. Sand is surprisingly difficult to walk in because it shifts and slides underneath you (which may be common sense, but it surprised me when I moved to the coast).]

_ It was freezing, too. Link had always assumed deserts were hot, but at night they definitely weren't. He'd been walking for hours when Midna materialized. "Hey, wolf-boy, what are those lights in the sky?" _[Fireworks! No, not really, but hey…Hyrule has bombs, so why not?]

_ Link glanced up. "Do you mean the stars?"_

_ "Stars," Midna repeated. "They're very pretty."_

_ Link nodded in agreement, grateful for the conversation. The complete and utter silence was unnerving. "They form pictures," Link said. _

_ "Pictures? Show me."_

_ Link smiled and pointed to the sky, slowing his walk a bit. "Do you see the really bright star there?"_

_ "Yes."_

_ "All right. Do you see the cluster of stars around it?"_

_ "Yes."_

_ "Well, that's the Phoenix." _[This is an actual constellation…at least, I'm pretty sure it is. I'm really too lazy to look it up. There are sixty-six constellations, though, as officially recorded by the astronomer Ptolemy. Just in case anyone cares…]

_ "I don't see a phoenix."_

_ "You have to use your imagination."_

_ "Right. I think you're making this up." _[Real conversation. Seriously.]

_ "I'm not, really. Let's see…they're a little different from back home. Oh, do you see the three stars in a row? The really bright ones? That's part of the Hero of Time constellation. That's his sword." _[Hee-hee. Link has his own constellation.]

_ "Well, at least it looks like a person. Your phoenix doesn't."_

_ Suddenly, the sand burst from the ground before them. Midna was in her shadow form almost instantly. One of the shadow creatures snarled and lunged at them. Link dodged back, slashing across its shoulder with his sword. The wound wasn't very deep, though, definitely not deep enough to stop it. Link moved nimbly back, dodging around the creature's sharp claws, trying to strike it._

_ Then, the creature lunged. Link rolled and came up, stabbing the creature in the chest. It screamed in pain and dissolved into black dust around him. He looked around, crouched in the sand, adrenaline rushing through his veins. "Behind you!" Midna yelled. _[For some reason, that reminds me of Navi. Hey, hey, listen! There's something behind you!]

_ Link whirled around to face another shadow creature. He dodged a swipe from its claws and rolled back. Its red eyes glared at him, and he could've killed it; he should've, but he didn't. The creature slashed at him, and Link flinched as the claws ripped through his shoulder. He stumbled back, and the creature charged. Link blocked a blow with his shield and stabbed it through the eye. It was dead. _

_ Sighing, Link looked around once more. "We're alone," Midna muttered, floating before him with an odd expression on her face. "Let me see you shoulder."_

_ "It's nothing," he said._

_ The imp ignored him and rolled the fabric of the tunic over his shoulder up. "No, it's not that bad," she conceded, "But…you still ought to bandage it up. Sit; I'll do it for you." _[MidnaxLink for the win! Actually, I don't really favor a particular shipping…I kind of go with several. So maybe it's Love Triangles for the win! Except with Link it's more like a love dodecahedron.]

_ Link did as she asked, too surprised to argue. She snapped her fingers, and a ragged cloak they'd been using for quick bandaging appeared, along with a flask of alcohol, which he'd bought to clean wounds and never actually drank. "I can bandage my own injuries."_

_ "I know," said Midna, "But…I'm going to do it."_

_ "Why?"_

_ "Well, if you do it wrong, you'll probably get an infection, and you're no good to me half-dead."_

_ Link rolled his eyes. "Of course."_

_ He winced as she cleaned the wound, bandaging it with surprising skill. "Link," she said, her voice softer than it normally was. "Why…why did you hesitate?"_

_ "What?"_

_ "I noticed. You hesitated. Why?"_

_ "I…I saw its eyes."_

_ "Care to elaborate?"_

_ "I realized…I guess…that…what if that had been you? All these monsters were once Twili. One of them might've been you."_

_ "But it wasn't."_

_ "But…they're your people. They're all you care about, Midna, and I never thought about it before but—"_

_ "That's…that's not true."_

_ "What isn't true?"_

_ "That all I care about is my people. I care about you, too, Link." _[Wow, Midna's really sappy here.]

_ Link felt a sudden warmth flood through him. As if Midna sensed it, she rolled her eyes and said, "You'd better write it down. It's the only time I'll ever say that."_

_ "But what if it had been you?" he whispered. "Then, I would've just…killed you."_

_ "It doesn't matter, Link. What's important is that you and I are safe. You should just be grateful that it wasn't me because if it weren't for me, you'd still be trying to bite through a chain with your teeth."_

_ Link rolled his eyes, and Midna snickered. "It was pretty hilarious."_

_ "Only you would think me being chained in a dungeon, absolutely terrified was hilarious."_

_ Midna winked. "If you'd seen the look on your face, you would've been amused, too." _[Probably not, but hey, it's Midna. The abridged series make it look pretty funny. I actually like the one by nevet1212. It's worth a watch. I think the episode where Link ends up in prison is episode 4. It's hilarious. Seriously, go watch it.]

Upon entering his room, Link saw a noblewoman he didn't recognize. "May I help you, my Lady?" he asked. [_What he wanted to say was 'Why the duce are you in my room?]_

She jumped and whirled around, looking at him with what Link thought was poorly veiled disgust. The woman was pretty, though, with golden hair longer than Zelda's and eyes that were almost gold. Her scarlet dress labeled her as being of a high status, but Link still couldn't remember seeing her. _[So. I'll be quite honest and say that I am usually not fond of OCs in general. It's not because of Mary Sues, or anything. It's just that if I want to read about OCs, I'll read you know…a book, but with LoZ, they're often kind of necessary, especially if you're talking about the Court, because you don't really see that much about it. However, some people do amazing OCs. If you want a recommendation, read the LoZ fic called _The Return_. It's here on , and that's an author who can do OCs.]_

She finally said, "Well, I see you haven't been properly polished yet."

Link wasn't quite sure what to say to her. _She _was the one in _his _room, and somehow _he _was the rude one? _[And we all know there's no way to reason with people like that.]_

"May I ask why you are in my quarters, my Lady?"

"I merely came to see if you were here." [_Worst. Lie. Ever.]_

Then, she abruptly walked past him. Link didn't believe her for a moment, but it wasn't as if he could interrogate a noblewoman, so with a sigh, he shifted around his things to find his clothes, making a mental note to keep a watch on her. Something wasn't right, though. He could feel a chill travel up his back. He didn't know why, but _something _was clearly wrong. Out of place.

Link changed his clothes, mentally scolding himself for being so paranoid, but she _had _been in his room doing something. _[Well, obviously.]_

**Author's Note: I hate, hate, **_**hate **_**this chapter. **_**[I really, really, really do.] **_**It's one massive info-dump of information, but…at least it's plot relevant later, I guess…well, next chapter picks up. There's an actual plot! So…here are the review responses. [**_**And there's no way I'm going to commentary those.]**_


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